Founded in September 1998 by Paul Bibeau in his bedroom in suburban Long Island, New York, Spitfire Records grew rapidly from a small start-up to become a recognized independent label in the heavy-metal and hard-rock space. Although the label’s main “address” was often given as New York City, its roots lied on Long Island (and some older directories cited Hicksville and Farmingdale addresses). In its early years the label positioned itself as a strong supporter of both established veteran artists and emerging heavy-metal acts, taking advantage of a market niche when major labels were less focused on “classic-metal” and legacy rock acts.
Spitfire’s roster and release catalogue were characterized by a mix of re-issues, licensing deals, and new signings of both veteran artists and developing bands. Some of the major names associated with the label include Testament, Twisted Sister, Asia, Alice Cooper, Dio, Black Label Society, L.A. Guns, Enuff Z'Nuff, Yngwie Malmsteen, Danzig, Ted Nugent, Deep Purple, Sebastian Bach, Ritchie Kotzen, Krokus, Helloween, Firehouse, Crowbar, Raven, TNT, Cradle Of Filth, and former KISS members Bruce Kulick and Eric Carr.
Spitfire enjoyed growth by aligning with the London-based audio/visual company Eagle Rock Entertainment (also known as Eagle Vision) for distribution and global reach. However, by 2006 the label was sold by Eagle Rock to Nashville-based Sheridan Square Entertainment.
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on November 1, 2025.
